Ironworks in Leicestershire

[mareanna]

I have a Harry Weston (b1865) who was listed as an Iron Moulder living in Belper, Derbyshire in the 1881 and 1891 census.  He spends the rest of his life (up to the 1911 census) as an Iron Moulder living in Wigston, Leicestershire.  I suppose the trade is clear in so far as he was moulding iron (natch) but what sort of things would he have been making?  Where would he have worked?  I have googled iron works + wigston, then leicestershire but no returns that point to this sort of industry in a historical setting.  The inference from the census returns is that there was a "visitor/boarder" from London staying with them in Belper who was an Iron Moulder.  Harry is subsequently listed with this trade and he then moves to Healey Street in Wigston Magna where he has a wife and then a family.

[wendy47]

Hi mareanna

I don't know if you g****d - Iron foundries Leicestershire 19th century

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=leicestershire+iron+foundries&meta=&aq=f&oq=

quite a few pages came up and maybe you'll find something to help you

Wendy 

[ricky1]

There is also this site

http://www.le.ac.uk/lahs/downloads/RimmingtonPagesfromsmvolumeXXXV-6.pdf

ricky

[mareanna]

Iron Foundry - so easy when you know how!  This turned up when swapping Wigston for Leicester:
http://www.leicestershirevillages.com/southwigston/townscapeanalysis.html
Next is to find the old road layouts from websites specialising in old maps.

[Guy Etchells]

You could also check out the Ironstone Railways website
http://www.irsociety.co.uk/Archives/1/Ironstone_1.htm#F1
which mentions the quarries and companies.
Cheers
Guy

[mareanna]

Bingo - got it.  Next to the Grand Union Canal and a railway line.  Nearby is a boot and shoe factory, a biscuit factory and Brunswick Mills.  Healey Street is just up the road.  All nearby the present Park Road, Wigston.

[wendy47]

Great

I love it when a plan comes together

Wendy